Brazil’s gastronomic routes took center stage in the nation’s tourism sector in 2023, captivating visitors and generating an estimated R$ 1.5 billion in revenue. Stretching from north to south, these itineraries—which beautifully blend local cuisine, vibrant culture, and breathtaking landscapes—have become premier attractions for global travelers seeking authentic and immersive experiences.
In the southern region, the enchanting Wine Route in Rio Grande do Sul and the Chocolate Route in the charming towns of Gramado and Canela have firmly established themselves as top destinations for wine tourism and family-friendly gastronomy. Meanwhile, in the Southeast, the traditional Cheese Route in Minas Gerais and the historic Coffee Route in São Paulo drew visitors from all over, offering a perfect pairing of regional delicacies and idyllic rural landscapes.
In the North and Northeast, exotic Amazonian cuisine and rich Afro-Brazilian flavors truly stole the show. In the gateway cities of Manaus and Belém, tourists delighted in unique indigenous delicacies such as tacacá (a savory wild jambu soup) and pato no tucupi (duck roasted in a traditional yellow cassava broth). Coastal capitals like Salvador and Recife also solidified their reputations as world-class culinary hubs, treating visitors to iconic dishes like acarajé, rich moqueca seafood stews, and the exquisitely layered bolo de rolo dessert.
Brazil’s thoughtfully expanding tourism infrastructure, which includes charming boutique rural inns (pousadas) and state-of-the-art wineries, has been instrumental in the rapid growth of these scenic routes. According to data released by the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism, the demand for these flavor-filled destinations surged by 20% compared to 2022, signaling a golden era for culinary and cultural ecotourism across the country.